


that's rosemary for remembrance

by be_themoon



Category: Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, mostly gen but sort of shippy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-24
Updated: 2011-05-24
Packaged: 2017-10-19 18:25:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/203915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/be_themoon/pseuds/be_themoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Edmund is being sad, and Lucy and Caspian aren't putting up with it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	that's rosemary for remembrance

**Author's Note:**

> For metonomia. This is gen with an (intentional) OT3 UST slant. So. There's that. Also, I know I made a mistake in here - I saw it yesterday and was like "Oh, I need to fix that before I post it to A03!" And then I forgot what it was.

It’s quiet in the early dawn. The island that they had come across last afternoon is deserted, something easily ascertained given that it’s only a few miles across. Lucy wakes up to Caspian shaking her quietly.

“It’s Edmund,” he’s saying apologetically. “He appears to have taken one of the boats and gone to the island alone.”

“Mother of all, of course he would,” Lucy says in annoyance. Gale stirs beside her, and Lucy puts her fingers to her lips and slips out of bed gently. “I’ll be out in two seconds,” she says, grabbing her armor, and Caspian nods and leaves.

When she comes up on deck he and Drinian have the second boat out and ready to go.

“You’re sure you don’t want anyone else to come with you?” Drinian asks, and Lucy shakes her head as Caspian hesitates.

“We’ll be fine,” she says. “Back by noon, most likely. Besides, there’s nothing on the island.” Drinian’s clearly not satisfied, but he lowers them down to the water regardless. On the island, Edmund’s pulled the boat up all the way out of the water and covered it, habit more than necessity. Caspian can’t spot it, but Lucy recognizes the patterns of camouflage Elina taught them and points it out to him.

“He’ll have gone inland to the waterfall,” she says, and Caspian follows her as she heads into the thin forest cover.

He is by the waterfall, swimming lazily back and forth, and Lucy sits by the water’s edge and waits for him to acknowledge her presence, pulling Caspian down beside her. Eventually Edmund turns onto his back in the water and floats.

“You didn’t have to come after me,” he says. Caspian jumps a little bit under Lucy’s hand.

“You know better than to go off by yourself,” Lucy says sternly, and Edmund is silent again.

“We were worried,” Caspian says.

“I’m fine.” Edmund’s tone is dismissive, and Lucy sighs.

“Is the water nice?” she asks.

“A bit salty, but cool,” Edmund says, and Lucy stands up and strips down to her underthings and dives in, aware of Caspian looking away and blushing. Edmund’s right - the water is cool, and it feels marvelous after the heat of the last few days.

“Come in, Caspian!” she calls, and the look on his face is torn between the propriety he’s always so careful about and the desire to join them. He makes a gesture, stops, and then grins and takes off his shirt and lays his sword belt aside. Lucy splashes him.

Half an hour later they collapse on the shore, exhausted.

“Thank you for coming to get me,” Edmund says quietly, and his hand finds Lucy’s and squeezes.

“I always do,” she says, and Caspian claps him on the back.

“Of course,” he says. Edmund is moving slowly, ponderously, and his hand keeps going to his stomach unconsciously. Lucy wonders if he slept at all this past night.

“We’ll send someone back for the other boat,” she says. “Come with us. We need a third for steering, anyways. You left us the big one.”

“Sorry,” Edmund says, and she slips an arm around his waist and leans her head against his shoulder.

“I didn’t mind the excuse to leave the ship,” she says.

“Are you all right?” Caspian says. Edmund nods, weary.

“Quite all right,” he says, and Caspian’s hand hovers for a moment before he lets it drop.

From the edge of the forest they can see the ship, Drinian on the forecastle looking out at them, the weight of his disapproving stare easy to imagine.

“Don’t let him murder me in my sleep, Caspian,” Edmund says with feeling, and Caspian laughs.

“If you ever actually sleep, I’ll keep him away,” he promises solemnly.

+

That night Lucy brews tea. Betony for sleep and purity, chamomile for peace and calm, rosemary for healing and love, black tea leaves for strength and fortitude.

“Sleep well and be strong,” she whispers over it. “Have peace, my brother.”

In the morning, they sail away from the island. Edmund stands at the rail watching it recede into the distance, and Lucy watches from the other side as Caspian approaches him. They exchange a few words, and then Caspian leans in closer and Edmund does not move away. Lucy smiles and goes to join them.


End file.
